1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a golf handicap system and, more particularly to a golf handicap smart card system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf is a very popular worldwide sport. In the United States, since 1912, the United States Golf Association (USGA) Handicap System has made it possible for golfers of differing abilities to enjoy fair competition. The USGA Handicap System utilizes Handicap Indexes which are issued by golf clubs which follow all of the procedures established in the USGA Handicap System. Golfers must get handicaps through golf clubs to ensure fairness through xe2x80x9cpeer reviewxe2x80x9d that assures reliability of the USGA Handicap System.
Each hole of a golf course may include a tee off area having a number of different tee markers, a fairway, a rough, a putting green, and a pin located in a cup on the putting green. Each hole may also include various hazards such as sand traps, water hazards, bunkers, trees, etc. Each golfer records on a scorecard the number of times required to hit a golf ball from one of the tee markers into the cup on the putting green for each hole. After all of the holes on a course are completed, the golfer tallies the score for each hole and records a total score for the course, with appropriate adjustments. The golfer then submits this total score to the golf club. The golf club posts the total score for the course in accordance with a variety of factors, such as the golfer""s USGA Handicap Index, the Course Rating, the Slope Rating, etc. The golf club then periodically (e.g., monthly or the like) determines the golfer""s handicap by utilizing an authorized USGA handicap algorithm. Individual golfer scores then become available for peer review by committee. The golfer""s handicap is a score calculated by using the ten best scores out of the last twenty golf games played by the golfer (tournament scores will impact this calculation and could increase the number of scores up to thirty)
Golf has become so popular that USGA membership has shifted from the ratio of 90% private 10% public to today where the USGA public membership is over 60%. These public golfers do not have a system to have a true verifiable handicap. As the trend in golf rounds played moves from private club rounds to public and semi-private rounds, the use of Internet handicap posting has led to the diminishment of peer review as a function of the present handicap system. In many instances public golfers have only the Internet to maintain a golf handicap, which requires individual golfers to maintain their own handicap without peer review. Many times public golfers still have to retain their own score cards from their rounds even if the golfer has an Internet handicap. This is because under any system available for public golfers now proposed, the peer review requirement of the USGA is not fully met.
Therefore, there is a need to bring the USGA Handicap System into the 21st century by enabling a golfer to have a current verifiable golf handicap on their person at all times for peer review. The related art is represented by the following references of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,312, issued on Apr. 2, 1996 to Anthony J. Morrison et al., describes a scoring system for compiling a set of statistics based on a given set of sports and/or performance events and/or activities data. Morrison et al. does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,550, issued on Oct. 8, 1996 to Victor Chartrand, describes a computerized golf handicap system capable of storing all of a golfer""s pertinent information that can be read remotely by a computer without any physical contact with the computer system such that all of the pertinent information is automatically entered into the computer. Chartrand does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,549, issued on Jul. 14, 1998 to Jay S. Walker et al., describes a distributed electronic tournament system in which many remotely located players participate in a tournament through input/output devices connected to a central controller which manages the tournament. Walker et al. does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,377, issued on Mar. 16, 1999 to Stephen R. Chapin, Jr., describes magnetic stripe transaction cards usable with currently installed conventional reading and processing systems. Chapin, Jr. ""377 does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,286, issued on Feb. 15, 2000 to James F. Bradley et al., describes a smart card system that offers a plurality of different accounts on the smart card. Bradley et al. does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,312, issued on Jun. 13, 2000 to Lawrence G. Lyon et al., describes systems and methods for the calculation and maintenance of a golfer""s handicap index. Lyon et al. employs a card that only stores handicap index information and displays the index on the card. The card does not process any data or execute any calculations. Lyon et al. does not provide the ability of an individual golfer to have a current verifiable golf handicap on their person at all times. Lyon et al. does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,089,459, 6,315,207 B1, 6,325,291 B1, and 6,340,117 B1, issued on Jul. 18, 2000, Nov. 13, 2001, Dec. 4, 2001, and Jan. 22, 2002, respectively, to Raymond Eisele et al., describe a smart diskette device, not a smart card, adaptable to receive electronic medium. Eisele et al. ""459, ""207, ""291, and ""117 do not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,917, issued on Oct. 31, 2000 to Stephen R. Chapin, Jr., describes multiple magnetic stripe transaction cards and systems for the utilization thereof. Chapin, Jr. ""917 does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,917 B1, issued on Jun. 12, 2001 to Kenneth D. Smith et al., describes electronic scorekeeping wherein a smart card is employed to facilitate the keeping of a detailed record of play and other comparative information. Smith et al. does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
International Patent document WO 97/02873, published on Jan. 30, 1997, describes a personal golf performance system. International ""873 does not suggest a golf handicap smart card system according to the claimed invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a golf handicap smart card system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is a golf handicap smart card system. The golf handicap smart card system includes at least one golf handicap smart card, at least one golf handicap smart card reader, and a golf handicap web site.
The golf handicap smart card system includes at least one golf handicap smart card. The golf handicap smart card is a plastic card embedded with a computer chip that calculates, stores personal information and past history, and transacts data between the golf handicap smart card and the golf handicap smart card readers. This data is associated with either value or information or both and is stored and processed within the golf handicap smart card""s chip.
The golf handicap smart card may be a contact card, a combination card, or a contactless card. The golf handicap smart card may include a microprocessor, a read only memory, a random access memory, a nonvolatile memory, and a card reader interface. A combination or contactless card may also include a transceiver and an antenna to enable transfer of data via a wireless link. These cards may also include an encryption methodology device to provide security to the data on the card.
The golf handicap smart card has on-card dynamic data processing capabilities and allocates the card memories into independent sections assigned to a specific function or application. Application programs/logic manage the memory allocation and file access. The application programs/logic manage data in organized file structures via golf handicap smart card software and/or application programs. The application programs/logic control access to the memories. This capability permits different and multiple functions and/or different application programs/logic to reside on the golf handicap smart card.
The golf handicap smart card reader is a self-contained processing device/application. The golf handicap smart card reader may read and write to the golf handicap smart card. The golf handicap smart card reader may include memory and a microprocessor to store application logic or programs. The golf handicap smart card reader may interface to the golf handicap web site/database via any known technique. The golf handicap smart card reader may include a modem to provide communication with the golf handicap web site over the Internet via a telephone line. The golf handicap smart card reader may have input keys or buttons to enable a user to input information. The golf handicap smart card reader may also include a display, such as a cathode ray tube display, a liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode display, a plasma display, a plasma addressing liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor display, a field emission display, or the like, to enable a user to observe information that is being read or written to a golf handicap smart card.
The golf handicap smart card reader may have a printer to print out a paper that includes the golfer""s name, the current USGA handicap index, the conversion from the index to the handicap for that individual golf course, and the appropriate set of tees. The printer may also print out a paper that includes all rounds of golf stored on the golf handicap smart card. The memory of the golf handicap smart card reader will include information applicable to the particular course where the golf handicap smart card reader is currently located. The information may include the required slope and course rating for all sets of tees. Appropriate information may be input or loaded when a golf handicap smart card reader is initially delivered to a course.
The golf handicap web site may store a record of the handicaps of individual golfers. At the end of each day individual golf courses affiliated with the golf handicap web site may upload the golfer rounds to the golf handicap web site. Qualified users with Internet access may view appropriate individual participant""s handicap. The golf scores may be read only files so individual golfer""s may not change or record a score on the golf handicap web site. Each golf club or course that has an affiliation with the golf handicap web site may be given a passcode to either the chairperson of the handicap committee or the individual responsible for the maintenance of handicaps to allow corrections of posting mistakes. The golf handicap web site may have formulas or methods for the setting up of tournaments such as best ball foursomes or twosomes, scramble events, calloway, match play, medal play, or any event conducted by the individual golf clubs. The golf handicap web site may have interactive areas where a golfer can graph their progress, keep putting greens and fairways hit in regulation statistics, keep track of matches won and lost, or the like.
The golf handicap smart card, the golf handicap smart card reader, and the golf handicap web site each include respective software code stored in their respective memories. More particularly, the golf handicap smart card includes golf handicap smart card software code stored in the golf handicap smart card memory, the golf handicap smart card reader includes golf handicap smart card reader software code stored in the golf handicap smart card reader memory, and the golf handicap web site includes golf handicap web site software code stored in the golf handicap web site server.
The golf handicap smart card software code includes golf handicap smart card application programs/logic code. The golf handicap smart card application programs/logic code enables the golf handicap smart card to communicate with a golf handicap smart card reader via any known interfacing protocol, to transfer data to a handicap smart card reader, and to receive data from a handicap smart card reader. The golf handicap smart card application programs/logic code carries out operations on data received and stored on the golf handicap smart card. These operations include utilizing stored USGA handicap algorithms to calculate a current handicap based on data received and/or stored on the golf handicap smart card.
The golf handicap smart card reader software code includes golf handicap smart card reader application code. The golf handicap smart card reader application code enables the golf handicap smart card reader to communicate with a golf handicap smart card via any known interfacing protocol, to transfer data to a handicap smart card, to receive data from a handicap smart card, to communicate with the golf handicap web site, to transfer data to the handicap web site, and to receive data from the handicap web site. The golf handicap smart card reader application code carries out operations on data received and stored on the golf handicap smart card reader.
The golf handicap web site software code includes golf handicap web site application code. The golf handicap web site application code enables the golf handicap smart web site server to communicate with a golf handicap smart card reader via any known interfacing protocol, to transfer data to a handicap smart card reader, and to receive data from a handicap smart card reader. The golf handicap web site application code carries out operations on data received and stored on the golf handicap web site database. These operations include organizing, maintaining, processing, and/or updating the golf handicap web site data received and/or stored on the golf handicap web site database.
Accordingly, it is a principal aspect of the invention to provide a golf handicap smart card system including at least one golf handicap smart card, at least one golf handicap smart card reader, and a golf handicap web site.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide a golf handicap smart card system that enables a qualified user to have a current verifiable golf handicap with them at all times and available for peer review.
It is an aspect of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a golf handicap smart card system for the purposes described which is inexpensive, mobile, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.